Innovations Inspire The Industry

In any industry, especially a small one such as the RF/microwave industry, it is easy to become "closed minded," and think that everything that can be done has been done. For that reason, when an innovation surfaces, it is good not only for the innovator, but for the industry as a whole. Any innovation, whether from a corporate giant or a fledgling start-up, serves to remind us all that there is still much to learn and work to be done.

Innovations come in many forms, from the development of basic building-block materials, such as GaAs and GaN for semiconductors, or even PTFE for circuit boards, to the creation of invaluable measurement tools such as the vector network analyzer (VNA). Those old enough can remember a time before such things were commonly available and how such things changed the industry. Obviously, as the RF/microwave industry ages, innovations are harder to come by. But they still do come. And such developments as Synergy Microwave's variable inductors on the cover of April Microwaves & RF help to remind the industry that there is still room for improvement and advancement, and it is still refreshing when innovations occur.